Device for winding annular cores



April 14, 1964 Filed June 27. 1961 G. STTZ DEVICE FOR WINDING ANNULAR CORES Q C( zATORNEY April 14, 1964 G. sTTZ 3,128,955

DEVICE FOR WINDING ANNULAR CORES Filed June 27, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 30

FIG.3b

April 14, G STTZ DEVICE FOR WINDING ANNULAR CORES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1961 United States Patent O 3,128,955 DEVICE FOR WINDING ANNULAR CGRES Gerhart Sttz, Sindelfingen, Wurttemberg, Germany,

assigner to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation of New York Fiied June 27, 1961, Ser. No. 120,016 Claims priority, application Germany `luly 1, 196i) 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-4) The present invention relates broadly to a coil Winding apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for the automatic winding of toroidal cores of extremely small dimension.

The present trend toward microminiaturization of cornponents in the design ofv equipment such as computing systems, for example, presents severe problems in fabrication and assembly. One component employed fairly extensively in computing systems because of its inherent reliability, relatively low cost and relatively high speed operation is the toroidal core which may be fabricated of magnetic or non-magnetic material. Present technology in toroidal cores has produced microminiaturized cores having an aperture diameter which may be as small as 1.5 millimeters and future technology may further reduce the aperture. Wiring of such minimum aperture openings present a problem beyond the ability of methods heretofore employed in the prior art. For the purpose of winding annular or toroidal cores with thread or tape shaped material, the known prior art include devices wherein a magazine with the winding material to be provided is guided through a closed path in the core aperture. For cores having openings which did not permit passage of the magazine through the aperture, a needle would be attached to one end of the Winding material and threaded manually through the aperture the appropriate number of times. However, even the latter prior art device is limited to cores having an aperture of not less than millimeters.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for automatically winding toroidal cores of extremely small dimensions. The invention includes core supporting apparatus and feeding and gripping elements disposed on either side of and along the main axis of said core, one of these elements alternately supplying the loose end of the winding material through a guiding device which directs the winding material through the core aperture and into the range of the second element. When the winding material is secured by the second element, the feeding and gripping elements reverse their original positions by rotating about an axis perpendicular to the main axis of the core, and means are provided for pulling each individual Winding taut. The core is then rotated about its axis by a fixed increment to position the next winding With respect to the previous, and the above described operation repeated until the desired number of windings have been threaded through the core.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved core winding apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic core Winding apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic core winding apparatus including feeding and gripping elements which alternately rotate about an axis perpendicular to the core axis for each winding of the core.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic core winding apparatus using the winding material as a self-threading device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic core winding apparatus wherein two pairs of rollers thread the windings by al- Patented Apr. 14, 1964 'ice ternately rotating about an axis perpendicular to the core while the core is rotated about its axis to position the windings.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partially schematic front elevation View of the subject invention;

FiGURE 2 is a sectional view of the core positioning and rotating apparatus taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURES 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate in partially schematic form progressive stages of the operation of the subject invention during the formation of a single windme;

FIGURE 4 is a partially diagrammatic plan elevation View of the subject invention;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the drawhook apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, the winding material is initially inserted from a bobbin or wire reel 27 through rollers 29a, 29b and directed through a recessed guide element 31 to the aperture of core 11 which is maintained on a core supporting and rotating apparatus.

Referring briefly to FIGURE 2, the sectional View taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE l, illustrates the details of the core supporting and rotating apparatus. The preferred embodiment of the apparatus comprises a plurality of cylindrical rollers 13, 15 and 17, rollers 13 and 15 comprising friction rollers and roller 17 being directly driven by motor 19. The motor drive assembly is mounted on a bracket 2t). To permit insertion of the core Within the confines of the rollers 13, 15 and 17, rollers 13 and 15 are spring loaded and adapted to be opened when suitable pressure is applied to the top of the core. Motor 19, as more fully described hereinafter, functions to drive the core in lateral increments to precisely position each winding with respect to adjacent windings. While a motor drive is employed in the preferred embodiment, a conventional ratchet wheel and pawl assembly could provide the lateral incremental drive of core 11.

Returning to FIGURE l, the winding material after passing through the aperture of the core, is directed into the grip of the second pair of rollers 33a, 33b, which continue to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow untila small length of the forward end of the winding material has passed through and is secured by rollers 33, at Which time rollers Z9 and 33 stop rotating. Rollers 29 and 33, although independently driven, rotate in the same direction and at the same speed. The cores of electromagnets 34a and 34h are connected to rollers 29a and 33a which are normally maintained in contact by compression springs 51 and 52. Electromagnet 34a is then energized and thus it may be seen that rollers 29a, 29h are caused to separate suiciently to prevent pinching of the winding material 25. As more fully described hereinafter, the arms 35 and 36 in the roller assemblies are adapted to be shifed longitudinally about their respective shafts 39 and 40. The arm 35 supporting rollers 29 then shifts away from the region of the inner space of the core to a plane parallel to its original plane and to the plane of arm 36 supporting rollers 33. The wire reel 27 is then moved to the position indicated in dotted form in FIGURE 1, and means are provided for ensuring that only a predetermined length of wire can be pulled from the reel for each toroid. A drawhook 37, which is normally positioned outside the ring aperture, moves into position, pulling the excess Winding material through the core and forming a loop in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3, each operation of the drawhook pulling the previous core winding taut.

Referring briefly to FIGURE 3, the general sequence of operations for providing the initial core winding is illustrated. FIG. 3a illustrates the relative position of winding material Z5, guiding element 31, core 1l, drawhook 37 and roller assemblies 29 and 33 after the forward end of winding material 2S is gripped by rollers 33. Rollers 29 and reel 27 have been retracted, and drawhook 37 in forming a loop has drawn the winding material tight. Referring brielly to FIGURE l, it is noted that the assemblies for rollers Z9 and 33 comprising arms 3S and 35, motors 41 and 43 and drive elements d5 and 47 respectively may be rotated independently of each other about common shaft 39, which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the toroid. When the forward end of the winding material has been secured by rollers 33 and the loop formed in the indicated manner, the drawhook 37 d returns to its initial position and disengages from the winding material 25, since the loop contains sutcient winding material for the rotation of rollers 33. The arms 35 and 36 are then rotated about common shaft 39 through their associated drive mechanisms in a counterclockwise direction indicated by arrow 49 until their positions are effectively reversed. It should be noted that the length of winding material utilized in the loop formed by drawhook 37 is sullicient for a rotation by rollers 33a, 33h to the initial position of rollers 29:1, "9b plus the winding material required for the number of windings on the core itself. The intermediate phase of the operation of providing a single winding after the transposition of rollers 2% and 33 is indicated in FIGURE 3b. The rollers 33 now function as the feeding mechanism for the winding directing the winding through the guide mechanism 3l and the aperture of the core ll into the grip of rollers 29a, 29h. From FIG. 3b it will be noted that the rotation of rollers 33 to the position originally occupied by rollers 29 formed a single loop. Electromagnet 34h is now energized, thereby opening the rollers 33, and the arm 36 shifts along its associated axis 4G in the manner heretofore described with reference to arm 35, thereby disengaging from the winding material, as indicated in FIGURE 3c. Now when drawhook 37 moves into position and engages the winding material 2S, forming the loop in the manner shown in FIGURE 3a, this formation of the loop resulting in tightening the winding about toroidal core l1. For ease of illustration, the core winding is indicated in FIG. 3c immediately prior to being pulled taut by drawhook 37. The transposition of rollers 33 and Z9 is again repeated, so that they occupy their initial position indicated in FIG. 3a, and the second loop is started. For each winding thus formed, the core is rotated in a lateral direction about its axis by a fixed increment in the manner heretofore described, and the operation is repeated until the desired number of windings have been placed upon the core. The above described cyclic operation is continued until the desired number of windings are disposed about core I1. As more fully illustrated in FlG. 4, the recessed guide element 31 is provided with a slot through which the winding material is removed during each operation of dra hook 37. The desired number of turns may be indicated by either utilizing a predetermined length of wire, by manually keeping track of the number of turns wound upon the core or utilizing a predetermined counter which could be actuated upon the movement of roller arms 35 or 36 or the drawhook 37. Such expedients are considered well known in the art and accordingly are not illustrated since they are not considered essential to an understanding of the subject invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated a plan elevation view of the subject invention which illustrates in greater detail certain mechanical aspects of the 4- invention. As indicated FIGURE 4 illustrates the assembly in its normal position with rollers 29 at the left. However, the operation is identical irrespective of the position of rollers 29 or 33. The solid lines indicate the normal position of roller 29, while the dotted portion indicates the retracted position of the rollers after disengaging from the winding material. The assembly for rollers 29 and 33 may be shifted longitudinally on shafts 39 and 40 under the control of associated motors 41 or 43 respectively. Relay 34a, which control the disengagement of rollers 29 is shown in its normal and retracted position. Motors 30 and 32, which apply direct and independent drive to rollers 29b and 33h respectively, are shown connected to their respective motor mounts. Drawhook 37 is illustrated in its normal position in solid form above the winding material, and in dotted form after it has moved into engagement with the winding material but prior to its moving downward to form the loop.

For a more accurate description of the drawhook operation, reference is made to FIGURE 5, which diagrammatically illustrates the operation of drawhook 37. Referring first to FIG. 5a, and proceeding in a clockwise direction, FIGURE 5a illustrates the normal position of drawhook 37, the arrow indicating the movement toward the wire. FIGURE 5b indicates the relative position of the drawhook and wire after the drawhook has moved into position but prior to forming the loop. FIG- URE 5c indicates the relative position of the wire and drawhook upon completion of the loop, the arrow indicating the direction the drawhook moves to disengage, FIG. 5d, illustrates the drawhook and wire disengaged, the arrow indicating the direction the drawhook moves to return to its initial position (FIG. 5a).

It is to be understood that the schematic drawings of FIGURE 5 do not connote actual distances but merely represent in a general way the relative movement of the drawhook with respect to the winding material. It will be further understood that the above described arrangement, particularly the control of the various movements of the apparatus are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention and that numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A winding apparatus for winding an annular ring comprising in combination means for orienting said ring whereby the aperture thereof is exposed, a source of winding material, first and second feeding and gripping means normally disposed on the entry and exit sides and along the central axis of said ring, one of said feeding and gripping means alternately feeding the forward end of said winding material through said aperture and the other gripping said Winding material on the other side of said core, means positioned between one of said feeding and gripping means and said ring for guiding said material through said aperture, and means for reversing the positions of said rst and second feeding and gripping means by rotating said feeding and gripping means after each feeding operation about a shaft perpendicular to said axis of said ring, each of said reversals completing one Winding on said ring.

2. A device of the character described in claim l further including means for tightening each of said windings on said annular ring.

3. A device of the character defined in claim l wherein said means for guiding said winding material through said aperture comprises a funnel shaped recessed guide `element which directs said winding material through said aperture and into the range of said second feeding andgripping means.

4. A device of the character described in claim 1 wherein said first and second feeding and gripping means cornprise a first and second pair of rollers rotatable about a common axis perpendicular to and non-intersecting with said axis of said annular ring.

5. A device of the character described in claim 1 further including means interposed between said annular ring and one of said feeding and gripping means for pulling each of said windings taut.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Franz Dec. 21, 1937 Mathis Ian. 14, 1958 

1. A WINDING APPARATUS FOR WINDING AN ANNULAR RING COMPRISING IN COMBINATION MEANS FOR ORIENTING SAID RING WHEREBY THE APERTURE THEREOF IS EXPOSED, A SOURCE OF WINDING MATERIAL, FIRST AND SECOND FEEDING AND GRIPPING MEANS NORMALLY DISPOSED ON THE ENTRY AND EXIT SIDES AND ALONG THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID RING, ONE OF SAID FEEDING AND GRIPPING MEANS ALTERNATELY FEEDING THE FORWARD END OF SAID WINDING MATERIAL THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND THE OTHER GRIPPING SAID WINDING MATERIAL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID CORE, MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN ONE OF SAID FEEDING AND GRIPPING MEANS AND SAID RING FOR GUIDING SAID MATERIAL THROUGH SAID APERTURE, AND MEANS FOR REVERSING THE POSITION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND FEEDING AND GRIPPING 